Sūrah Āl ʿImrān

Overview

Sūrah Āl ʿImrān is a Madinan sūrah with 200 āyāt. It is so named due to the sūrah speaking about the family of ʿImrān (what āl ʿImrān literally means). He was the father of Maryam, the mother of ʿĪsā. The sūrah heavily references Ahl al-Kitāb—the People of Scripture—especially the Christians. An exposition as to the true nature of ʿĪsā and his honourable mother is offered. Another central figure invoked is that of Ibrāhīm. He is someone whom the Jews and Christians lay claim to. Allah declares him a pure monotheist who has submitted his will to Allah, not a Jew nor a Christian. A significant portion of the sūrah addresses the Battle of Uḥud. The events that led up to it, the calamity that unfolded during it, and the despondence of the Companions after its conclusion are all discussed. Allah tells the Muslims that, ultimately, they are the uppermost if they are true believers, and that their loss was borne of disobedience to the command of the Messenger ﷺ. No sūrah more beautifully describes the status of the martyrs than Sūrah Āl ʿImrān, where Allah uses words like fariḥīn—jubilant—and yastabshirūn—receiving glad-tidings—to describe their state. Finally, the virtue of fikr is exhorted towards, where Allah praises “those who have sound cores, those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down; and reflect over the creation of the heavens and the earth, ‘Our Lord, You have not created this in vein, glory be to You, so save us from the torment of the Fire!’”

Context

The Christian Delegation of Najrān came to Allah’s Messenger ﷺ in Madinah, wishing to debate him in religion. The Prophet ﷺ gave them argument after argument for the humanity of ʿĪsā and that he cannot be God or His son. Many āyāt in the sūrah refer to this, for example: “Indeed, the parable of ʿĪsā to Allah is like that of Ādam: He created him from dust then said to him, ‘Be’, and he was” (3:59). The debate continued until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ invited them for a mubāhalah—a solemn invocation of Allah to curse the liars. He ﷺ came out with ʿAlī, Fāṭimah, al-Ḥasan, and al-Ḥusayn. The Christians cowered at the spiritually awesome sight and chose jizyah over heavenly wrath.

Much of the rest of the sūrah deals with Battle of Uḥud. Following Badr, the Muslims almost had another unprecedented victory, until the bowmen left their designated mount seeking their share of spoils. Noticing the Muslims’ tactical vantage point had disappeared, Khālid ibn al-Walīd—a polytheist at the time—encircled the Muslim army to devastating effect. Heavy losses were incurred, so much so that a rumour spread that the Prophet ﷺ had been killed. Some of the most senior and noble of companions were martyred. Among those were Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr, Anas ibn al-Naḍr, Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ, ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn Ḥarām, and Ḥamzah ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib. The battle eventually turned to a stalemate when the Muslims regrouped and used Uḥud as a shield to cover their rear. Allah highlights to the believers where they failed, gives them solace in their loss, and ordains timeless maxims to adhere to during hardships.

Themes

Where the sūrah discusses Uḥud, the qur’anic discourse is melancholy in nature with an undertone of optimism and faith. Allah exposes the hypocrites and their malignant intentions. Importantly, the paradigm through which believers must contextualise such worldly losses is strikingly clear. The following are among the most important:

• “Allah would not leave the believers in the state you are in until He distinguishes the filthy from the pure.”
• “Do not wane nor grieve, for you are the uppermost if you are truly believers.”
• “If a wound should afflict you, then likewise it has afflicted the [other] folk—such are the days which we deal out among the people.”
• “Let not those who have disbelieved think that the rein we give them bodes well for them. We only give them rein that they may increase in sin, and for them is a humiliating punishment.”

The People of Scripture, specifically Christian doctrine and Israelite blasphemy against God is another important theme. Notwithstanding this, Allah emphasises that they are not all the same, there being the trustworthy, righteous, and worshipful among them.

Unique Features

Allah says: “Indeed the mathal of ʿĪsā with Allah is like the mathal of Ādam.” This refers to their preternatural creation: both are born without a father. There is also a felicitous numerical similitude (mathal) between the two names ‘ʿĪsā’ and ‘Ādam’ that is possibly implied in the āyah: both are mentioned exactly 25 times in the Qur’an.

Lessons

Ibn Masʿūd said: “I would not have thought any of the companions of Allah’s Messenger desired the worldly life but for Allah revealing, ‘Among you are those who desire the worldly life and among you are those who desire the Hereafter’ (3:152).” Our favouring the dunyā over the ākhirah is the underlying cause of weakness. This is mentioned in an eschatological narration by the Prophet ﷺ, explaining the wahn—weakness—that will mar our hearts as ‘hate of death and love of the world.’

Allah has made us the best of nations. We attain this rank when we hold onto the rope of Allah, all of us united, enjoining the common good and forbidding immorality.

“You who believe, be patient, outdo each other in patience, be ready, and be conscious of Allah so perhaps you may be successful.” (3:200)

Virtues and Valuable Information

Sūrah al-Baqarah and Sūrah Āl ʿImrān are al-Zahrawān (The Two Incandescent Ones). They will cover the one who oft recites them in shade on the Day of Judgement.

When the Prophet ﷺ passed onto the next life, the ummah was in disarray and ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb was in disbelief, saying that he will kill anyone who says he had died! His closest friend and companion Abū Bakr calmed them by addressing them all and reciting: “Muhammad is but a messengers before whom messengers have come and gone” (3:144). Upon hearing the āyah, ʿUmar fell to his knees, wept, and said, “It was as if I was hearing it for the first time.”